Read On Discord Isle for Free Online

stream of demands. As she came up beside him, she stopped.
    There was an island off the bow in the light blue waters below. The Dawnhawk ’s course would take them right past it. It wasn’t terribly large, just a ring of jungle around an oddly shaped low mountain peak, further ringed by broad sands and the occasional hill.
    “Where in the seas are we?” she demanded, wheeling on the first mate. “Why are we running on propellers?”
    The first mate smiled. There was something, an edge to it, that Natasha didn’t like. “The Atalian Sea, still,” said Lucian. “Fairly close to the equator. We aren’t very close to any aetherlines here.” He gave a nod to the men and women working nearby.
    Only one of them belonged to her old crew, though she couldn’t remember his name. The others all belonged to Fengel. They looked to Natasha, then each other. Then they stood and left. She was pleased. They’re finally learning their place when I’m around. Good.
    “I’m not terribly familiar with the area,” continued Lucian. “The maps call it Almhazlik, or ‘Discord,’ if you speak Salomcani. Isolated, but with plenty of fresh water and fruit and whatnot.”
    Natasha glared at him, hand resting on the pommel of her cutlass. “Of course I speak Salomcani, you idiot. Why in the Realms Below have you changed our course? We should be more than halfway to Breachtown by now.”
    Lucian sighed. He looked away, then back, eyes serious and holding her gaze. “Captain Blackheart, I’ve meant to talk with you about that. The crew isn’t happy. We’re nowhere ready for this raid yet. If we pursue that plan now, a lot of people are going to die. Don’t you think it’s a bit too soon?”
    Natasha snorted. “Breachtown is a ruin after that uprising of theirs. That counting house will never know what hit it.” She did feel a little mollified. Lucian had finally used her proper name and title, at least.
    Lucian pinched the bridge of his nose. “Captain, yesterday’s raid was a disaster. Four people almost died, and that was all our own doing. We’re not working well together, and there are constant conflicting orders—”
    “That was Fengel’s fault,” snarled Natasha. “If he hadn’t gone all soft-hearted on everything then it would have worked out just fine. Now, answer my damned question. Why in the Realms Below are we here, of all places?”
    Lucian gave her a long look. Then he glanced away. “Not certain, Captain. But I believe your husband gave the order to the helmsmen directly.”
    A bolt of irritation flashed through her. “Of course he did. Apparently he doesn’t trust even you, of all people, and you’ve always been his dog. A proper captain goes through her first mate! That’s what you are for .” She whirled on her heel and stalked down the deck without even looking to see if he’d heard her.
    The helm was back on the stern of the airship, a holdover from the sail ship template used by the Mechanists who built the thing. Natasha stalked toward it, even more irritated by having to cross the distance. Those men and women who saw her coming found reason to be elsewhere suddenly, which pleased Natasha. One of them didn’t, though.
    He was big and knelt upon the deck, facing away from the bow. Even from the back she recognized him as one of her thugs, the Wiley twins. He worked alone, though, his brother still recuperating from the fire yesterday. Natasha was suddenly incensed that he hadn’t noticed her.
    She kicked over the pile of shiny metal clips he was polishing. He started, then looked up in surprise, visage going flat once he saw her.
    “Captain?” he asked.
    Natasha bent, snatched up a ring, and shook it in his face. “Rust!” she snarled at him. “Look at this! You miss a spot again and I’ll put you up on lookout duty for a month!” The ring was clean, but that was beside the point: yelling made her feel better.
    Something in his face stopped her. The big pirate nodded slowly, never